A gas explosion can leave someone with severe burns, broken bones, respiratory injuries, or lasting emotional trauma in a matter of seconds. Once the immediate medical emergency has passed, injured people and their families may begin asking whether someone could have prevented it.
In New Jersey, a gas explosion injury may support a personal injury lawsuit if another party’s negligence or a defective product contributed to the incident. Depending on what caused the explosion, responsibility could rest with a property owner, landlord, contractor, utility company, product manufacturer, seller, or several parties.
Below, we explain when a lawsuit may be possible, who could be held liable, what evidence may help establish responsibility, and which New Jersey laws can affect these claims.
Key Takeaways About Gas Explosion Injury Lawsuits in New Jersey
- Gas explosion injury lawsuits in New Jersey may be possible when another party’s negligence or a defective product contributed to the incident.
- Property owners, landlords, contractors, utility companies, manufacturers, and product sellers are among the parties that may be investigated.
- Fire investigation reports, maintenance records, inspection documents, photographs, and witness statements can become important evidence.
- Most New Jersey personal injury lawsuits must be filed within two years after the claim accrues, but shorter deadlines may apply when a public entity is involved.
- Workers injured in an explosion may qualify for workers’ compensation and may also have a claim against a responsible third party.
- Prompt medical care and early preservation of evidence can help document the injuries and clarify what caused the explosion.
Can You Sue After a Gas Explosion Injury in New Jersey?
A gas explosion does not automatically establish liability. The central question is whether another person or company failed to use reasonable care or supplied a defective product that contributed to the explosion and resulting injuries.
Several legal theories may apply, depending on the facts. These commonly include negligence, premises liability, and product liability. An explosion at work can raise additional questions involving workers’ compensation and possible claims against parties other than the injured person’s employer.
New Jersey also follows a modified comparative negligence rule. If an injured person shares responsibility for the incident, their compensation may be reduced according to their percentage of fault. A person whose negligence is greater than the negligence of the defendant—or the combined negligence of multiple defendants—cannot recover damages under New Jersey’s comparative negligence law.
Liability ultimately depends on the evidence. Fire investigation findings, medical records, utility records, inspection reports, maintenance histories, and witness statements may help determine why the explosion occurred and whether someone failed to meet a legal responsibility.
What Causes Gas Explosion Injuries?
Determining the cause of a gas explosion is one of the first steps in evaluating whether someone may be legally responsible. Some explosions result from a single failure, while others involve several contributing events.
Common causes include:
- Gas leaks inside homes or commercial buildings
- Damaged underground gas lines
- Improper installation of gas appliances
- Faulty furnaces, water heaters, or other gas-powered equipment
- Excavation work that strikes buried pipelines
- Poor maintenance of gas systems
- Defective valves, regulators, or connectors
- Failure to respond to reported gas odors or known safety concerns
- Failure to follow applicable building, fire, or safety codes
For example, a contractor may damage a gas line during excavation if required safety procedures are not followed. In another situation, maintenance records may show that tenants repeatedly reported a gas odor before an explosion. A manufacturing defect may also become part of the investigation if a failed appliance or component appears to have caused or contributed to the incident.
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities oversees and enforces the state’s Underground Facility Protection Act, commonly called the One Call Law. Subject to the law’s specific requirements and exceptions, excavators generally must notify the One Call system before beginning excavation or demolition so underground facilities can be identified and marked. Calling 811 connects the caller to that system. Failure to follow these requirements may become important evidence if excavation work contributed to an explosion. The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities provides additional information about the 811 program.
Who May Be Liable for a Gas Explosion in New Jersey?
Responsibility depends on who owed a legal duty to address the hazard and whether that party’s conduct contributed to the explosion. More than one person or company may share liability.
Property Owners
A property owner may be responsible when an unsafe condition on the premises causes an injury and the evidence establishes the elements of a premises liability claim. Relevant questions may include whether the owner knew or should have known about a gas leak, whether gas equipment was properly maintained, and whether reasonable steps were taken to repair or warn others about the danger.
Property ownership alone does not establish liability. The duty owed depends on the circumstances, including the owner’s control over the property and knowledge of the hazardous condition.
Landlords
A landlord could face liability if the landlord ignored reports of a gas odor, delayed necessary repairs, or failed to address a dangerous condition that contributed to an explosion. The specific duty depends on facts such as who controlled the affected area or equipment, what the landlord knew about the problem, and which maintenance responsibilities were assigned under the lease and applicable law.
Contractors and Construction Companies
Contractors may be investigated when an explosion follows improper appliance installation, unsafe renovation work, or damage to an underground gas line. These cases may require engineering analysis, permit records, inspection reports, excavation records, and expert testimony to determine whether the contractor followed applicable safety requirements.
Utility Companies
A utility company may be investigated when questions arise about pipeline maintenance, inspections, leak reports, emergency response, or the operation of gas-distribution equipment. An explosion involving natural gas does not automatically mean the utility company was negligent. The evidence must connect the company’s conduct to the explosion and injuries.
Manufacturers and Product Sellers
If an investigation points to a defective furnace, water heater, regulator, connector, valve, or another gas-related component, the New Jersey Product Liability Act may apply. A claimant generally must establish that the product was not reasonably fit, suitable, or safe for its intended purpose because it deviated from manufacturing specifications, had a defective design, or lacked adequate warnings or instructions.
Manufacturers and, in some circumstances, product sellers may be named in these claims. The potential liability of a seller is subject to additional rules under the Act, so identifying the proper defendants requires a careful review of how the product was designed, manufactured, distributed, sold, installed, and maintained.
What Evidence Helps Prove a Gas Explosion Injury Claim?
Evidence can help investigators reconstruct the events leading to an explosion. Some records document what happened before the incident, while others help explain how the explosion occurred or establish the extent of the resulting injuries.
Important evidence may include:
- Fire marshal or fire department investigation reports
- Photographs and videos of the scene
- Damaged appliances or gas-system components
- Maintenance and repair records
- Utility inspection and service records
- Records of earlier gas-odor complaints
- Building permits and code inspection documents
- Excavation and 811 notification records
- Witness statements
- Surveillance footage
- Medical records documenting diagnoses and treatment
- Opinions from fire investigators, engineers, or other qualified experts
No single piece of evidence necessarily answers every question. Investigators may compare several sources to determine whether they support the same sequence of events. Maintenance records might show a history of reported leaks, inspection reports might identify unresolved concerns, and expert testing might explain why a particular component failed.
Preserving evidence can be especially important after an explosion. Damaged equipment may be removed, debris may be cleared, and repairs may begin once officials determine the property can be entered safely. Injured people should not return to an unsafe scene or handle potentially dangerous equipment. When possible, evidence preservation and inspection should be coordinated promptly with the appropriate investigators, insurers, and attorneys before important items are altered or discarded.
What Damages May Be Available After a Gas Explosion?
A gas explosion can affect nearly every part of a person’s life. Emergency treatment may be only the beginning. Some people require follow-up surgeries, physical therapy, rehabilitation, respiratory care, or ongoing treatment for burn injuries.
Depending on the circumstances, a claim may seek compensation for losses such as:
- Past and future medical expenses supported by the evidence
- Lost wages during recovery
- Reduced earning capacity if the injuries affect future employment
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Permanent scarring or disfigurement
- Permanent disability or loss of bodily function
- Property damage resulting from the explosion
The damages available depend on the type of claim, the parties involved, and the evidence supporting each loss. Claims against public entities may also be subject to additional statutory limitations. Medical records, employment records, expert opinions, bills, receipts, and other documentation can help demonstrate both the immediate and long-term effects of an explosion.
What If the Gas Explosion Happened at Work?
A worker injured in a gas explosion may qualify for workers’ compensation benefits. Workers’ compensation is generally the exclusive remedy against the employer for an accidental workplace injury, although New Jersey recognizes a narrow exception when an employer commits an “intentional wrong.”
A separate claim against a third party may also be possible. Potential third parties could include an outside contractor, property owner, utility company, equipment manufacturer, or another business whose conduct contributed to the explosion.
If the worker receives compensation through a third-party claim, the employer or workers’ compensation carrier may have reimbursement or credit rights under N.J.S.A. 34:15-40. This prevents duplicate recovery for the same injury and disability.
After a workplace explosion, an injured worker should:
- Report the injury promptly. New Jersey generally requires the employer to receive notice or obtain knowledge of the injury within 90 days, although reporting it as soon as possible is preferable.
- Request necessary medical treatment. Emergency care should not be delayed. For ongoing workers’ compensation treatment, the employer or its insurer generally has the right to select the authorized health care providers.
- Preserve evidence safely. Photographs, witness information, incident reports, and communications about earlier hazards may become important.
- Do not assume workers’ compensation is the only possible remedy. A third party may share responsibility even when the injury is covered by workers’ compensation.
- Pay attention to filing deadlines. A formal New Jersey workers’ compensation claim petition generally must be filed within two years of the injury or the last payment of compensation, whichever is later.
- Speak with an experienced attorney who can evaluate the circumstances and explain how workers’ compensation and any third-party claim may interact.
The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development provides additional information about reporting workplace injuries, authorized treatment, filing deadlines, and third-party recoveries.
How Long Do You Have to File a Gas Explosion Lawsuit in New Jersey?
Most New Jersey personal injury lawsuits must be filed within two years after the claim accrues under N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2. In many gas explosion cases, that period begins on the date of the explosion, but the exact accrual date can depend on the circumstances.
A much shorter deadline may apply if a state, county, municipal, or other public entity or public employee may be responsible. The New Jersey Tort Claims Act generally requires a notice of claim to be presented within 90 days after the claim accrues. Missing that deadline can jeopardize the right to recover, although New Jersey law provides a limited procedure for seeking permission to file a late notice in some circumstances.
Claims involving minors, workplace injuries, property damage, or other special circumstances may also follow different rules. Because several deadlines can arise from the same explosion, identifying every potentially responsible party early is important.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sue my landlord after a gas explosion?
You may have a claim if the evidence shows that your landlord failed to address an unsafe condition that contributed to the explosion. Examples could include ignoring reports of a gas odor, delaying necessary repairs, or failing to maintain equipment under the landlord’s control. Liability depends on what the landlord knew or should have known, who controlled the affected property or equipment, and whether the failure to act caused the injury.
Can I file a lawsuit if a defective gas appliance exploded?
Possibly. The New Jersey Product Liability Act permits certain claims when a product was not reasonably fit, suitable, or safe because of a manufacturing defect, defective design, or inadequate warnings or instructions. The evidence must connect the alleged defect to the explosion and resulting injuries.
What if more than one party caused the explosion?
More than one party can share legal responsibility. For example, an investigation could find that a contractor damaged a gas line, a property owner failed to respond to a known hazard, or a defective component contributed to the explosion. New Jersey law allows responsibility to be allocated among multiple parties when the evidence supports doing so.
How long do I have to file a gas explosion lawsuit in New Jersey?
Most personal injury lawsuits must be filed within two years after the claim accrues, which is often the date of the explosion. Claims involving a public entity generally require a notice of claim within 90 days. Other deadlines or exceptions may apply depending on the parties involved, the injured person’s age, and the type of claim.
Brandon J. Broderick, Attorney at Law Helps Gas Explosion Victims Understand Their Legal Options
A gas explosion can turn an ordinary day at home or work into months of surgeries, medical appointments, insurance paperwork, and uncertainty. Injured people and their families deserve clear answers about what happened and who may be responsible.
Brandon J. Broderick, Attorney at Law works with injured people and families throughout New Jersey. Our attorneys can investigate the cause of an explosion, identify potentially responsible parties, preserve important evidence, and explain the legal options that may be available.